Hunt, John Wesley (1773-1849)

Section C, Lot 17 Considered to be the first millionaire west of the Alleghenies, the family of John Wesley Hunt was one of Lexington's most prominent families. He is the father of Charlton Hunt, who became the first mayor of Lexington. Coming to Lexington in 1795, John Wesley Hunt became a merchant, horsebreeder, hemp manufacturer, and banker. He was appointed postmaster by President John Adams in 1799. As postmaster, Mr. Hunt established a mail route from Lexington to Washington, D.C. That pony express route took two weeks to complete.

John Wesley Hunt built Hopemont (today known as The Hunt-Morgan House). The house is believed to be haunted by the old Negro nurse, Bouviette, who was called "Aunt Betty" by the Morgan Children. After "her" boys went to war, she would appear on Main Street whenever she thought any Southern troops were coming through town. She often waited for hours to give a drink of lemonade to one of "her" boys. Four of the six boys she nursed lived to carry her remains to the family lot in The Lexington Cemetery where a little stone has this simple inscription, "Bouvieete James Col. Ever Faithful."